I write mostly about cooking because its kind of a big deal, its major part, but not all of life. Infrastructure is a factor as well.. in my case it’s chaos, a hodge podge of interests, obsessions, work and clutter.. Jade bowls, real silver, antique Chinese chests and weird flea-market treasure…books, art and who knows what.. it is what it is..

I wouldn’t say my home is my castle, its more like a tree fort or pirate’s lair.

Which works for me, in all it’s (no room havin) glory.. personal comfort isn’t a physical thing with me.. (not that it isn’t all dry, snug and warm etc).. comfort is more about letting my mind wander without constraint and doing exactly what I want to, when, where and how..

All of which is written as a thank you for various likes and follows.. because I can’t quite figure out how to find the message thingy and be direct..

Same deal as the girl only hes not as energetic.. I suspect a trust fund, rather than having to hustle and make a living.

But whatever.. Could be he’s just starting out, I know guys that began with a back pack and are well off now… So why not?

I never saw him again after the show, but the girl is a pro.. I see her here and there, depending on the season and market. Working the circuit can take a minute to get used to if your DNA isn’t migratory or you lack the tools to adapt fast.. not to mention be self-reliant mentally and physically.. Plus there’s the whole work ethic thing..

Then there is dealing with the public, and being the guy they want to spend with… no breaks, no sitting down or reading a book, no having lunch or phone calls.. smile, make eye contact, greet everyone, no matter what… and never fake it, because that’s why you’re there.. They want to give you money and spare you the labor of loading your wares back into the truck or van…Ya gotta help them, help you…. So enjoy it or fail..

After hours are a hoot… it becomes a social thing, replete with pot lucks, dinner invites, campfires and what not.. questions and answers, intel on new markets, what works and what doesn’t, cheap gas, good food, mechanics and where the idiots are.. plus you make money buying or selling to other dealers after hours..

It was fun… sometimes rough and a grind, but no uniforms or paper hats were involved and you could pack up and wander off at will…

All of which is probably nostalgia speaking…the rose colored mists of past lives..

Here and now works just fine.. the learning curve is in high gear and I’m happy about it.. theres a certain excitement to be had with each day, each new project and each step forward..

I stopped and had a few chats with her over the course of the season, its one of the hazards of being interested in how other people do things… be it dinner, living space, earning a living or off grid life in general.

It’s a been there done that thing.. cept I’m not a rainbow child or a girl, it’s more boots, jeans, black T shirts and leather vests.. I sold silver, amber, crystal balls and hard to find stuff or did security and what-not for the big outfits.. which paid more overall.

“Bill here’s the keys to the warehouse in Tucson, load this and that, set up in Denver in three days and we’ll see you there” was the norm, or dealing with customs for them and getting permits because they couldn’t speak English all that well..which was done for $200 a day and my beloved Per Diem..That I went to LAX or Phoenix Sky Harbor made zero difference to me.. and it went on for years.

Santa Barbra shows were a zoo… but they had a whole foods close and little bistro type restaurants the boss lady liked to drag me too. (Aside from my Per Diem of course)….

It was a good gig… but one evolves, my thinking is making a transition of some sort.

I keep mulling over food carts and burning man..small bistros, pizzerias or bed and breakfast type scenarios… with a side of Esty to keep me amused when I get nostalgic for 30 hour drives and manhandling 400 pound drums of stone on and off a truck..

Doing the shows was good, yet not exactly easy… but nothing is.

The laid-back, rainbow hippie thing isn’t for me… I understand it and it’s all good, but what drives me is different, as is the mind set.